House Committee Wants UT Regents To Hold Off On Any Action Against Pres. Bill Powers

This Thursday, the University of Texas Board of Regents is planning to discuss the possible resignation of UT at Austin President Bill Powers or his termination.

Powers was the focal point of embattled Regent Wallace Hall’s independent investigation over claims that Powers had been involved in admissions fixing for certain lawmaker's children.

After the Texas House Select Committee on Transparency in Government Agency Operations voted to move forward with impeachment of Hall, UT Chairman Paul Foster asked Hall to resign and announced they would be conducting a full investigation of whether admissions fixing had occurred.

State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, who sits on the House transparency committee, said they have asked that UT take no action at this time.

"I would think in this situation everybody would exercise extreme caution and not take any unnecessary risk," Martinez Fischer said. "Why the UT system would continue to move forward absent a compelling and transparent reason is a little surprising.”

Committee Co-Chairs Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Canton, and Rep. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, sent regents another letter reminding them Powers is a key witness in the Legislature’s investigation of Hall.

“And that testimony that he has given and the level of cooperation that he has provided may have been contrary to the interests of the UT system," Martinez Fischer said. "I certainly hope he is not being retaliated against."

The original investigation of admissions fixing showed no wrongdoing. Regents then launched a second investigation, of which no results have been made public.

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The continued saga of University of Texas system Regent Wallace Hall continues. Despite a legislative and criminal investigation at least one of his allegations against the UT system is being taken seriously as the chancellor, Francisco Cigarroa, announces an external investigation of UT Austin’s admission process, and whether there is undue influence from legislators.

Members of a Texas House committee are moving forward with the impeachment of University of Texas Regent Wallace Hall by drawing up the official articles of impeachment. Hall informed UT’s Board of Regents he would not be resigning from his post.

The Texas House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations voted 7-1 in favor of impeaching Hall. This week only those who voted for impeachment will be able to weigh in on what codes Hall violated, which will be the official articles of impeachment.

The chairman of the University of Texas Board of Regents, along with a majority of members, asked Regent Wallace Hall to resign from his position today.

The House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations voted 7-1 this week for impeachment, but the Legislature urged the UT Board of Regents to handle the matter by asking Hall to resign.

Yesterday the Texas House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations voted 7-1 to begin impeachment of University of Texas Regent Wallace Hall.

Hall has been accused of waging a wasteful open records search for impropriety at UT-Austin in an effort to drive out President Bill Powers. The committee began its inquest into the regent nine months ago.

This is the farthest in the impeachment process the state has ever gone with a governor-appointed official.